In the nick of time
by NanouDane76
Summary: A case closed a couple of years back reopens due to new elements. It will test Sam like he has never been tested before.


Sam walked in to the Division refreshed after a long weekend off. He didn't pay much attention to what was going on around him. He walked into the locker room and placed his jacket in his locker. He took out his badge, his cuffs and his gun and headed for the kitchen.

As he grabbed an apple from the fridge and bit into it, he realized that in the detective's office area, everything was quite active. He looked at the white board and he saw it. The picture was there, a magnet delicately placed on top of it. He put his apple on the table and walked hurriedly to the office space.

Frank saw him coming from afar and turned towards Nash, Callaghan and Peck.

"Let me tell him OK"?

They all looked at him. For those who had been there years back, this had been one of their darkest moments. For those who were new, they were slowly grasping the importance of this case.

As he walked up the stairs Sam's heart was pounding.

Frank met him at the door.

"Frank, what's going on"?

Peck and Nash were looking from the corner of their eyes.

"Sam.. We've reopened the Carson case".

Sam started shaking.

"Why"?

Frank swallowed. "Sam, two nights ago one of our patrols was called to Willowbrook Park. They found a body Sam".

Sam felt himself feel faint and put both his hands on the desk and looked down.

"Frank.. don't say it. I beg you don't say it".

"Sam, it was Allison Matthews".

Sam looked up. "What about Kate"?

Traci stepped forward. "We searched the perimeter and no other body was found".

Sam looked up at the ceiling.

Steve looked at Sam. He didn't know him very well, but he could tell he was in pain. "Sam, this is good news".

Sam shot him a dirty look. "Oh yeah? Why is that Steve"?

"Sam, the autopsy results came in this morning. Allison had only been dead for a day when she was found".

Sam looked at all of them. "Wait a minute are you telling me that Allison was alive all these years"?

"Sam, if Allison has been alive all these years, we can assume that Kate may still be alive".

Sam turned to Frank. "Frank I want in on this".

"Sam, I can't".

"Frank come one we are talking about Kate here".

"Exactly and you are emotionally involved. Look Sam, the orders come from higher up. I already had to fight them to keep the case here at Division 15".

Sam stood straight and looked Frank deep in the eyes. "Frank, if you think that I'm going to be able to sit on the sidelines and do nothing, you don't know me".

Frank turned and looked at Luke then turned back to Sam.

"OK. OK Sam, you can help the rest of the team but you stay your ass in the office, you don't go on the field and you are to not be in contact with any witness or suspect that may be brought in. It's that or you're suspended. Clear"?

"Cristal clear".

Dov, Chris, Andy and Gail were sitting chatting with Oliver in the debrief room when Chief Best arrived. They knew something was going down but they didn't know what.

"OK. I need everyone's attention. We have a major case on our hands. Some of you may be familiar with the case and others not, but due to new elements 2 nights ago, we have reopened the Carson case. The Detectives are currently going through all new and old elements and you are at their beck and call if you are not patrolling. Any questions"?

Dov raised his hand.

"Epstein"?

"What is the Carson case Sir"?

Luke stepped in. "Kate Carson was one of ours. She disappeared with one of her friends 7 years ago. After two years, the case was closed for lack of information and because we were going nowhere. However, two nights ago, Allison Matthews, Kate's best friend was found dead in Willowbrook Park. We are hoping that new elements will help us find Kate and hopefully still alive. So if you are not on the board patrolling, please come to see me or Detectives Nash and Peck and we'll give you something to work on".

Andy spoke up. "What about Detective Swarek"?

Luke looked at Andy. No matter how long it had been, he still felt something for her and even though she and Sam weren't together anymore, he hated how she was constantly worried or enquiring about him. Hopefully this case would cool her down a bit for he had a strong feeling that she didn't know what was behind the Carson case.

"Detective Swarek is not officially working on the case but he like you will be assisting the rest of the team".

Frank took Kate's picture and placed it on the white board behind him.

"Even if you are patrolling today, keep your eyes opened if you see anything strange, especially in the vicinity of Willowbrook Park. You're assignments are on the board. So serve, protect and stay vigilant"!

Andy walked over to the board. She was patrolling with Oliver. She met Oliver at the car and sat down in the passenger seat.

As they started to patrol, Oliver shot Andy a look. "Go ahead, ask your question".

"What question? What are you talking about Oliver"?

"Look Andy, I know you well enough to see that something is on your mind. So to prevent having you like this for the rest of the day, ask your question".

She sighed. "Why is Sam not working on the Carson case Oliver"?

"Because he could comprise the investigation".

"Why? He's one of the best Detectives in the Division".

"Because he's emotionally involved and when emotions are involved you can do stupid things".

"Oliver, what do you mean he's emotionally involved? And who is Kate Carson"?

"Kate Carson was… is one of us. She was one of the best cops we've ever had the Division. She and her best friend Allison disappeared 7 years ago. We searched and followed every single lead we had but after a year and a half we still weren't moving on the case. After that, hierarchy decided to close the case".

"So what about Sam"?

"Kate and Sam were engaged Andy. After that, Sam was never the same".

"They were engaged? He never told me about it".

"I'm not surprised. Like I said Sam changed after that and he rarely spoke of Kate, but I know she was and is constantly in his thoughts and heart".

Andy looked out the window. It started to make sense in the end. "I guess that's why he was never able to tell me he loved me. All that time, it was reserved for someone else".

Steve looked at the file in front of him. "Sam, you got a minute"?

Sam looked up. "Yeah. What do you want"?

"I want to go over your deposition".

"Why? It's still the same in 7 years Steve".

"Maybe but you might have been too involved at the time to think of a small detail that could help us. Look, it could bring us a new light".

Sam shrugged. In the end, there was nothing much else he could do. "Alright. Shoot".

"Let's go back to the day she disappeared. Tell me about that day".

"We woke up around 6 AM, had breakfast, got ready and headed for the division".

"You were living together"?

"Yes Steve we were living together, we were engaged and that's what engaged people do".

"You were living together full time? Or where there times when you each slept at your own place"?

"No, by that time Kate had moved in officially for several months".

"But I see here that when she disappeared she still paid her apartment's rent".

"That's right. Her contract with the owner was still for a couple of months and if she had terminated it early she would have had to pay the owner. Aside from a few things, the apartment was empty".

"Ok. So you patrolled together that day"?

"No. Kate was with Oliver that day".

"What time did you finish your shifts"?

I was finished at 6PM but I waited an extra hour for Kate to come back with Oliver".

"Why were they later"?

"They had taken a wounded man to the hospital and had to wait to get his deposition. They left the hospital and came back straight away to the Division".

"What time was it do you remember"?

"I would say ten to seven".

"Did you leave together"?

"No. Every quarter Oliver, Frank, Jerry and I went to the Casino to play poker. It was our Poker Night".

"Did Kate leave with someone"?

"Yes. Allison came around 7:30PM to pick her up. They were going to have their traditional girl's night out. Whenever we went to Poker Night, Kate and Allison hung out together".

"So when was the last time you saw Kate"?

"I would say around quarter to eight because we talked a bit all together before going in our respective cars and heading out".

"Kate had a car"?

"No they were with Allison's car".

"What was the make and model"?

Sam sighed.. he didn't see the point of going through this again.. it was a real waste of time.

"It was a red Honda Civic 2006".

"Did you and Kate phone each other or text each other during your evening"?

"She called me around 9PM to tell me they were leaving the Black Penny and were going to head to a club".

Steve turned to Traci. "Do we have that written somewhere that they were at the Black Penny"?

Traci looked at the notes. "Yes. Jim and Tom confirm having seen Kate and Allison at the Black Penny from about 7PM till 9 PM. Apparently Allison had drank a bit too much and Kate took her keys to drive".

Pete turned back to Sam. "Ok then what"?

"We all had way too much to drink and we left the casino at 1AM. I felt it impossible to drive all the way back home in my state so Jerry offered that I crash on his couch".

"Did you call Kate"?

"No it was late. I didn't know if she was asleep or still out with Allison so I sent her a text message so she wouldn't worry either when coming home or wake up".

"What happened the following morning"?

"Jerry and I woke up late. I tried to call Kate but there was no answer so I figured she was already on route if not already on duty. Jerry and I arrived at the Station".

"Did you enquire about Kate"?

"No. Oliver and I started patrolling. It wasn't until around 1PM that I started to worry".

"Why"?

"Boiko walked over to me and he seemed pissed off. I didn't understand why. He said that if we decided to go out on the eve of a work day that we should be responsible enough to do our job properly. I apologized as I initially thought of was referring to the fact that Jerry and I have been late. But then he said that the next time, Kate didn't show up for work at least she could call in sick and advise everyone".

"Did you call Kate then"?

"Yes immediately. Kate is never sick and would never have missed work, at least not due to a hangover"!

"Why is that"?

"Kate's mother was an alcoholic and Kate despises alcohol. She never drinks".

"You've never seen Kate drink any alcohol, never get drunk"?

"No in the 5 years we were together it had always been the case. That's usually why people liked having her around on party nights.. she was always the designated driver without any problems. It came in handy".

He turned to Traci. "Do we have the detail of what they ordered at the Black Penny"?

Traci flipped through the documents and came across the copy of the bill. "We've got 5 tequilas and 3 diet cokes".

"That doesn't prove that Kate didn't drink a few tequilas. You weren't there Sam, maybe she let her guard down, maybe she let herself be influenced and had a few drinks. These things happen"!

Sam stood and grabbed Steve. "Kate didn't drink, ever whether I was around or not. You got it"? He let go of Steve and Steve straightened his shirt.

"Sam, I know this is not what you want to hear, but I'm trying to think outside of the box here. We have got to envision everything even what may seem improbable with Kate. Did she pick up the phone"?

"No. I called 5 times in a row and there was no answer. I grabbed Oliver and we decided to stop by the apartment to check on Kate. But…."

His voice trailed off. He closed his eyes.

Traci looked at him. "But the apartment was empty right Sam"?

He opened his eyes. "Yes. The apartment was empty. Everything was exactly the way it had been when we had left it the morning before. It was obvious that she hadn't come home that night. I thought that she had stayed with Allison but when we headed over there Allison's boyfriend said he thought Allison had stayed with Kate as she had not come home either".

Steve nodded. "OK. Thanks Sam".

"Wait that's it"?

"Yeah the rest we've got for the moment. We know that Allison's car was found 3 days later in a deserted parking lot on the corner of Fairview and Madison Ave.".

Traci looked at them. "What about what happened the day she disappeared or even a couple of days before"?

"What do you mean"?

"Well, maybe it wasn't a coincidence. Maybe Kate came across someone who she confronted or maybe interested. Maybe it's not about Kate but about Allison and Kate happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, collateral damage".

Chris and Dov looked at Kate's picture. "I can't even imagine what Sam went through".

Chris looked over at the Detective open space. "Yeah. I mean Christian disappeared for a couple of hours and I already was a mess. I can't even begin to imagine what he went through. I mean Dov, 7 years"?

"I heard people say that he changed after that. I wonder what he was like before"?

"Do you think she's still alive"?

Dov shrugged. "After all that time, maybe it would be best if she wasn't".

"How can you say that"?

"Chris, you saw her friend's pictures. That girl was tortured and who knows what else. If it's to live the rest of your life like a ghost due to what happened to you, maybe it's better off being dead".

Luke walked in. "I've got the autopsy report". He stopped when he saw Sam. "Sam, maybe you should step out".

"The hell I'll step out Callaghan. You've got vital information to share, then I want to hear it"!

"Fine. Allison died due to a broken neck. The injury seems to have been caused by excessive beating. There are traces of repeated beating and torture and multiple fractures, some a couple of years old and others much more recent".

He looked at Sam before resuming. "There are also traces of violent sexual abuse".

Sam sat in a chair close by and grabbed his head in his hands.

"They also found traces of medetomidine hydrochloride, which is an anesthetic used on animals. This is where it gets interesting because this anesthetic can only be sold and used by vetenarians"!

Steve looked at Luke. "A vet? Wait a minute… Traci what information do you have about Luis Ortego"?

"Luis Ortego was the victim that Oliver and Kate brought to the hospital that night. No indication in the notes on his profession. Let me look him up on the computer".

Traci started to type away on the computer.

"Why wasn't Ortego heard"?

Luke shrugged. "I don't know. I guess there was no reason at the time to suspect him of anything".

Traci looked up from the computer. "Bingo! Luis Ortego is a vet. He has an office on Maple Drive".

Steve looked at Traci. "Call the hospital and have them look in their archives to see when Ortego was released from the hospital".

Luke stood and took his phone. "I'm going to see if we can get a search warrant for Ortego's office and home".

He hung up ten minutes later after trying to convince the judge to deliver the warrant. Traci hung up with the hospital at the same time.

"Ortego left the hospital just minutes after Kate and Oliver left. Meaning he had all the time in the world to come here and follow Kate the entire evening".

Sam stood. "OK. But Ortego must not have been alone. He wouldn't have been able to manage Kate and Allison on his own. Kate is a fully trained cop, he should have known she wouldn't go down without a struggle or a fight".

Steve took his jacket. "Sam you stay here. We're going to head over to his office and home with a team of cops".

"Steve, don't do this. Let me come with you. What if you find her? I need to be there when you find her"!

Traci held Sam back. "Sam, I promise that if we find her, you'll be the first to know and we'll take good care of her".

"Traci, I'm the only one she knows. She needs to have someone there she knows".

Luke nodded. "Okay. We'll take Oliver and Frank with us but until you hear anything from us, you stay put"!


End file.
